Original subtitles

Come on, it's time!

♪ Cumpleaños feliz ♪

♪ Te deseamos a ti ♪

♪ Cumpleaños Abuelita ♪

♪ Cumpleaños feliz ♪

Felicidades!

I want you all to know my wish.

My wish is for my grandson, Raymond Jr.

It's hard for me to celebrate

when I don't have all of my family here.

He is in trouble,

and no one wants to help him.

I wanted to help him.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't help him.

You see what this is doing to everybody?

- You see what this is doing to her? - What am I supposed to do?

Huh?

This is the life you and him put her in.

You should've never taken her to that police station.

You should've never let her go with you to the courts.

She ain't never been the same since.

Okay, you tell me what I'm supposed to do, all right, and I'll do it.

- 'Cause I done the best I could. - Yeah, well,

look what your best has gotten everybody.

Everybody getting trouble from everywhere in this family.

How could a rapist be in our family?

- He's not a rapist. Don't say that. - That's what they say.

That's what we have to hear all the time.

Don't say that shit, because you know what?

He just went to the park with some friends, okay?

Just went to the park because I told him to fucking go.

I said "There's too much trouble on the corner,

so why don't you go to the park?"

He just... I sent him, I fucking sent him.

He just did what I told him 'cause he's a good boy.

Come on. You've known him all your life, man. He's a good kid.

He'd have never hurt nobody.

Hey...

Ma. We're just... We're just talking, Ma.

I'm gonna... I'm just gonna get a cigarette, okay?

Later.

- Baby. - Yeah, Mama?

You gonna help me get him ready or what?

Yeah. You got plenty of time, though. I mean, can I just get a minute?

I'm waiting for Ray. Ray's gonna call.

Ray's always calling. The bill.

The bill. Baby, don't worry about the bill, okay?

But you don't pay the bill, so don't worry about it.

I do worry about the bill, actually.

Okay? 'Cause it takes food out of our son's mouth.

Don't start, please.

- Look. - Oh, I didn't do that.

- You didn't do that? - You're blaming me.

- You didn't do that. - All right.

Okay, give me the baby.

- No. - I'll take the baby.

- Forget it. - I'll take the baby.

The phone's ringing.

You have received a call from an inmate

at Spofford Juvenile Detention Center.

To accept the charges, dial three.

Pop? Pop, you there?

Yeah, Ray. Ray, I'm here.

You called a little later today. Is everything all right over there?

- How long did you wait for the phone? - Yeah, a 45-minute wait today.

- Ow! Forty-five, wow. - Crazy, huh?

So, what'd you have for dinner?

Ate off the commissary, thanks to you.

Cup Noodles.

It was good as ever.

That's good, my man. Good. That's good.

Look, thank you for that money.

I'm trying to treat it right, you know? Like...

- make it last. - Papi, that's right. That's right.

Try to spread it out as long as you can.

♪ Wait ♪

♪ For all the broken pieces to fade ♪

- Hey, come on. - ♪ And sleep ♪

Can you be more lighter with her?

♪ Through the stormy winter ♪

♪ We'll escape ♪

♪ You know I will be here ♪

♪ At the end of the day ♪

- Ray. Ray, come here. - ♪ You know you're never ♪

♪ Alone ♪

♪ When times are hard ♪

♪ I'll hold you close ♪

♪ Let love heal you ♪

♪ And I'll do the same ♪

♪ You know I will be here ♪

♪ At the end of the day ♪

I'm sorry you gotta keep doing this.

I'd come every day if they'd let me.

- I wouldn't want that. - Why?

I could keep you company.

It's... It's too much trouble.

And money.

See... Okay, you tripping now.

You're not too much trouble.

You sleeping?

Well, I been...

I been having these dreams.

A bad one?

Yeah, yeah.

I'm in my bunk...

and I keep hearing these... these footsteps.

And they keep coming closer and closer.

I don't know if I'm dreaming or...

or if it's real. I...

Every night, they just keep coming closer and closer.

You keep listening for those footsteps, baby.

That's me...

coming to bring you home.

I feel like everybody in the world hate me, Ma.

I know it feels like that.

I know it feels like that.

But I love you enough

to make up for everybody.

All I do all day...

is love you.

Don't ever think you're alone.

I'm walking through this with you.

You cry, I cry.

You mad, I'm mad.

You scared...

I'm scared.

You free...

I'm free.

You and me, always.

My baby.

Hi, baby.

Hi, Mama.

Here, give me that.

Give me your coat.

He here?

Bobby.

Bobby.

Baby, look who's home.

Hey...

Hey.

Hey, son.

Welcome home.

Hey... Hey... Hey...

Hey...

How you explain that?

He called one day to check on us.

But he didn't sound good.

I asked him how he was doing. He said, "Fine," but I know him.

I know every part of his voice,

and I know everything it means.

Even when he doesn't know.

I knew he wasn't fine.

So I asked him to come over.

So I could see how he was for myself.

And he did.

He didn't get back till...

two years ago.

Before that, he was trying to work,

he was still part-time.

But when they set the dialysis up,

the job let him go.

How come he breathe like that?

Water stays around his heart somehow.

The kidneys not working.

He just gonna stay like this then?

He asking a lot of you, Ma.

Well...

it'll be easier now that you're here.

I'll take care of you.

I want to.

But...

I ain't taking care of him.

If I had my way,

you wouldn't have took him back.

When you marry somebody...

you promise to take care of them in sickness and in health.

- That was in our vows, Tron. - The man walked out on you.

- That's in the vows too? - Bobby came back to me.

When he needed something, Ma.

Everybody made their decision.

I made the wrong one to listen to him at the precinct.

He made the wrong one to leave us. You making the wrong one right now.

We all made bad decisions. So, what now?

What, I'm gonna hold it against you?

You gonna hold it against me? We gonna hold it against him? Forever?

There's differences.

You and me, we did things out of love.

And we both believed him.

Me then and you now.

But, Ma, him walking out on us, that ain't love.

That ain't love, Ma.

Not then and not now.

Aw! You like Papa's nose.

You have received a call from an inmate

at Spofford Juvenile Detention Center.

This call may be recorded at any time.

To accept the charges, dial three.

- Hey, Pop. - Hey, Ray.

How's it going today, man?

It's all good. Trying to, like, keep my head down, you know?

- How's there? - Hold on, let me put your brother down.

Awww!

Awww!

It's kind of quiet here today on the block.

Kind of quiet.

Hey! Better than last week, though.

Oh, man, the city was going crazy.

Couldn't even sleep.

That's crazy.

- Ain't nothing changed there then, huh? - Nope.

How's it over there, though?

- It's quiet here. - Good, good.

That's good, mijo. I'm glad.

What y'all eat today?

Well, tonight we got some TV dinners, 'cause Elena's trying to lose some weight.

So now I gotta eat these... Lean Cuisines.

What's Lean Cuisines?

Yo, it's some shit no grown man should be eating, let me tell you.

- It sounds like it. - Doesn't it, though?

But I... I'd take it right about now.

Yeah. Yeah, I bet, I bet.

Um, what about you, son?

Um, what'd you have for dinner?

Well, you know they feed us, but...

you know, I stay hungry, so I take anything I can get.

Yeah, like father, like son, huh?

But tonight's my kind of night. You know, it's mac and cheese night.

Little fried bologna, know what I'm saying?

Fried bologna?

Hey, look at you, big spender.

Yeah.

But sometimes I feel like meat, so...

I'll splurge a little.

Yeah, well, you know, you're taking care of yourself

and that's what matters, you know?

You gotta do what you gotta do to...

But before you know it, you'll be home.

I hope so.

♪ Yo, it's a beautiful day ♪

♪ And everybody's feeling wonderful ♪

♪ The ladies is out ♪

♪ Looking fly, dressed comfortable ♪

♪ I love to wake up And feel the breeze through my window ♪

♪ Slip on a fatigues Grab a dutch and roll some indo ♪

♪ It be days like these That make life so much easier ♪

♪ Fish thawin' out Guinness Stout in the freezer ♪

♪ Walk the block at my leisure ♪

♪ Summertime is like a anesthesia ♪

♪ So many pretty things to please ya ♪

♪ If I had a chance to make a wish ♪

♪ Every day would be just like this ♪

♪ Full of happiness ♪

♪ I feel great ♪

♪ Even though we got Mad things to deal with ♪

♪ Happiness is all in the mind ♪

♪ Let's unwind and find A reason to smile ♪

♪ I'm just glad to be livin' Feelin' fine ♪

♪ Leavin' my bad times behind Feels great ♪

♪ Even though we got Mad things to deal with ♪

♪ Happiness is all in the mind ♪

♪ Let's unwind and find A reason to smile ♪

♪ I'm just glad to be livin' Feelin' fine ♪

♪ Leaving my bad times behind Feels great ♪

I want you to meet my wife Elena.

Okay?

Look, Elena.

Come. I want to introduce you to my son.

- This is my wife, Elena. - Hi.

- Elena, este es Raymond. - Nice to meet you.

You too.

But what...

- What? - What's that?

What are you talking about?

Nothing, nothing.

Who are all these kids?

Elena's cousins. She takes everybody in.

She's got a big heart.

Ow!

I'm gonna go put this in my room.

Oh, yeah, don't worry about all that stuff in there.

We're gonna move it out.

Things have changed.

Yeah, I know, I know.

Elena wanted to change it up, you know, for the baby.

Okay.

Hey, Lena, Lena.

How about...

Two beers, please.

There is no beer.

What do you mean? I gave you the money yesterday.

I had to buy food.

- You want water? - I'll take water.

Ramón! Ramón, come here!

Papi's calling you.

Ramóncito! Come here!

Huh?

I want you to meet your big brother. All right?

Say hi to your big brother. This is Raymond.

- Hola. - Hola.

I've been telling you about Raymond.

What'd I tell you about Raymond?

Gracias, mamalita.

Thank you.

- He needs to eat. - But he wants to be with me.

Okay, man, let's just put Ramón's stuff in my room, okay?

Just put it on the bed. Just be careful with the sheets.

- That's the mom, right? - Yeah.

- They don't live here, though, right? - Nah.

She helps with Ramón, that's all.

- Okay. - Hey, wait.

Uh, you know what? Why don't you take this into the living room, all right?

Gotcha.

Put it anywhere.

Ray?

I wish you'd talk to me before doing things in my room.

- I didn't want to bother you. - Well, talk to me.

Okay, I will.

Pop?

Your wife knew I'd be coming back here, right?

Yeah, por supuesto.

Of course. Why?

Oh, hey, hey, hey.

I got a little something for you.

That's for you.

Tron, you hungry?

Hey.

Hey.

I made us some lunch.

Was hoping we could, uh... we could talk.

Here.

Maybe after your workout, then.

- Want y'all at the rally at 10:00. - Come on.

- Hey, Deloris! - Where is this?

- Right out here. - I see.

Come to the rally at 10:00, y'all.

- You hanging in there? - Ten o'clock.

I'm doing the best I can.

Sharonne.

How you been, Deloris?

How's Yusef?

Yeah, Yusef's making his way.

Studying the Koran, learning his faith, you know.

And school, of course.

Wish they had a school where Korey is.

Ain't got no school in Auburn Maximum.

And now they got him in an isolation unit and...

- he having a tough time up there. - I can't imagine.

He was too young to go straight to an adult prison.

I keep him in prayer always, I do.

I pray for Kevin too.

For all the boys.

Hey, Ms. Grace, how you doing?

Are you coming to the rally?

Would you mind having Yusef write Korey?

I mean, it would give him such a lift,

and God knows he could use a boost right about now. Can you just...

- I can't do that. - Why?

They cannot communicate as convicted felons.

They can't share communications across facilities.

It's the state law.

We could help them with that and it'll be easy.

You see him and get a letter, you give it to me,

and then I'll give one to Korey,

and then we'll just go back and forth with them like that.

He asks about him, Sharonne.

I'm trying to get Yusef home.

Home.

Sooner rather than later.

He could get home next year with good time.

I can't have him engage in this funny business you talking about.

Oh!

I just can't do that.

You take care of yourself. You give my best to Korey.

I invoke the perfect words of Allah

to protect us against the evil that may come from Sky or Earth,

against the tests of Night and Day,

in the name of Allah, gracious and merciful.

Subhan Allah.

You've been studying.

I can tell.

- You staying close to the brothers? - Like you told me.

I like 'em.

They treat me good. We talk.

That's good, son. That's very good.

How's Aisha and Shareef?

They're fine. They send their love.

And how's work?

I just don't know if I can keep sending her there.

I mean, my daughter is... Well, I'm not going to say who she is,

but she's a victim of this kind of thing herself,

this kind of tragedy, and it's taken us years to get past it.

The guy was a fucking scum. They don't deserve to live,

let alone have jobs at what I thought was a reputable institution.

Guess I'll have to talk...

- I don't want to beg. - Sharonne, I agree.

Let's not beg.

I think it'll be better for everyone involved.

We're gonna have to let you go.

First interview was great.

Second interview, even better.

Then same old, same old.

They find out about Yusef...

I'm pretty fucking sure that's illegal.

Sue they ass.

I don't want to see another lawyer

or another court date ever again in my life.

I'm still paying them bills.

You'll find something else.

It's the racket they running in them facilities.

That's the real crime.

You know, one ten-minute phone call from Yusef costs $23.

Shit!

Where am I gonna get that from?

My name is Sharonne Salaam,

and I'm here to learn about public assistance.

Work's fine.

Your brothers and sisters are fine. Don't worry about that now.

You need to focus on you.

So, tell me what you been thinking about.

What's going on in there?

I been...

I been thinking a lot about Korey.

Nobody's heard from him since they transferred him from Rikers.

He wasn't even on the list.

He came to look after me so I wouldn't disappoint you.

And now we don't know where he is.

It's not right.

Baby, what you feel about Korey...

that means you are a good person.

But you need to focus on you right now.

You need to stick with the brothers.

You need to study. That's all I need for you to do while you in here.

And then soon, you will all be home and you and Korey

will have plenty to talk about.

People hate us out there.

They hate your brilliance.

They hate your beauty.

They hate us.

But we not gonna hate ourselves.

Home.

Yeah, son.

Home.

Get in there.

Get in there, man.

- Good, ain't they? - You not gonna eat that?

Come on, take this plate.

Go ahead and eat. Help yourself.

♪ Just a touch of love, a little bit ♪

♪ Just a touch of love ♪

Aisha! Come on, bring your brother a plate.

And you know how he loves sweet potatoes.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

- You're okay? - Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you.

♪ Hope is the thing with feathers ♪

♪ That perches in the soul ♪

♪ Sings a tune without the words ♪

♪ And never stops at all ♪

- There he is. - ♪ All ♪

Oh, my God...

How was your week?

How are you eating?

You're staying out of the cafeteria, right?

Ain't nothing but mess in there.

You eating out of the commissary, right? Getting enough to get full?

Yeah. I'm... I'm getting enough. Thanks.

Is there something you want to tell us?

Are you and Yusef still looking out for each other?

Uh...

You know, Yusef's really with the Muslim guys now.

Um...

Like...

- I don't know. - That's okay.

Look at me.

He's got something to look forward to.

You have to find one too.

That's the trick of a happy life.

Imma tell you a story I ain't never told you.

Imma tell you how it works when you got something to look forward to.

You know, my co-workers, they were polite,

but I wasn't close to anyone.

They didn't want to be close to me, and I thought I deserved that,

so I accepted it.

I was alone a lot, just doing what I had to do to get through the day.

That's not life.

And it's not happiness.

Happiness is something to look forward to.

♪ Happy feelin's in the air ♪

Hi.

Hi.

Um, welcome to Thrifty.

How can I be of service?

Yes, please. I, uh, need to rent a minivan for the weekend.

Okay, we have a lot of options.

This one right here is...

great for the wife,

kids, the whole family.

How's it for taking your grandma and her friends to Atlantic City

for their All-Star Mega Bingo game?

Very good for that too.

I rented him that van for three days.

And I'm telling you, waiting for him to return it,

it was the most fun I'd had in such a long time.

Next.

♪ You made me feel alive ♪

♪ Yeah, baby ♪

- ♪ You ♪ - ♪ You ♪

♪ Make me feel so high ♪

Hey, uh...

would you like to, uh, grab dinner sometime?

Um...

- What? - Mm-hm.

You said no.

- Yeah, I said no. - Hold on, hold on. Okay...

- No, I... - No, no, no, no, no.

You waited on him for three days and three nights

just to say no when he asked you out?

Hold on, there's more to the story. There's more...

Why did you say no?

Why did you say no?

Because I didn't think I should be having fun, in romance and whatever,

while you're in here.

I'm part of the reason you're in here.

Let me tell you, I was...

I was really down the last couple years.

And I...

I feel just...

I feel guilty you're in here.

Don't feel like that. I don't want you to feel like that.

No, it's okay, though. I wish I'd known better.

Remember how to do things at the precinct.

My mama schooled me, didn't you?

All the guilt.

It's lazy energy.

It doesn't change the past.

And it doesn't shape the future, and it's a waste.

And we got no time to waste.

We gotta live. Hm?

So we went on a couple dates.

That's good.

That's good. I'm happy for you.

Chris is my something to look forward to.

Studying his religion, that's what Yusef looks forward to.

You find your something, Kevin.

I love you.

- It's changed a lot, huh? - Yeah, it's changed a lot.

I want to see it all.

I even want to see the park.

You know, I hear that they redid it.

You know, maybe one of these days...

we...

It's okay. You got time.

A lot's changed, but you know what ain't changed?

You.

That was my biggest prayer for you.

That you'd stay safe. That you'd stay your sweet self.

I know you seen things,

maybe had to do things,

defend yourself,

survive, whatever might've happened.

But in the end...

you have the same heart.

You gotta carry that with you out here, okay?

♪ My Umi said Shine your light on the world ♪

♪ Shine your light for the world to see ♪

♪ My Umi said Shine your light on the world ♪

♪ Shine your light for the world... ♪

- I don't want to do this. - You're the last one to get out.

All the guys have been through this. You'll get through it.

I'm not the last one. Korey is.

I mean, of the four of you.

Just 'cause you're registering as one doesn't mean you are one.

It sure feel like it.

I know.

I love you.

Now every 90 days, you gotta do that.

Come on down to the courthouse and sign in.

Now, Megan's Law, that's separate from checking in with your PO.

In three years' time, when you've finished with your conditional release, your CR,

you and me, we're done.

But you've gotta show your face here every 90 daysfor the rest of your life,

or they will reincarcerate.

For the rest of my life?

All right, so, do you know your curfew?

Yes, sir, 7:00 p.m. till 9:00 a.m.

- And where must you be during that time? - At home.

The law says inside the house.

That's not on the sidewalk, that's not on the stoop, inside.

All night, every night, till 9:00 a.m.

What happens when I get a job and my boss makes me come early?

You get a different job.

You ever been employed outside of prison?

You ever filled out a job application?

It's just practice.

Hold up. Gotta do your boxes.

"A: Have you ever been incarcerated?"

"B: Have you ever committed a felony?"

Now, "have you committed a felony," that box right there, that protects you.

See old boy back there?

That's Vince Martinez.

Four years up at Clinton, simple possession of narcotics.

He's been out 15 years.

Now, you check that box as a felon,

and right away, you're not working on shift with Martinez,

'cause he's a felon too.

And as a condition of your CR, you can't associate with felons.

Now, what's gonna happen when you don't check that box

and you end up working the fry beside Martinez

because they just scheduled you that way?

You'll be reincarcerated.

"Are you a registered sex offender?"

That's the box that tells your supervisor,

"Don't put me out on the counter handing out no Happy Meals."

Or you'll go upstate in a heartbeat.

Level three sex offenders can't be around any children that's not family.

That's forever, right?

Not just the next three years.

Who am I supposed to work for with all this hanging over me?

Man, whoever will take you.

Raymond Santana Jr.

My pop told me to ask for his boss, Mrs. Bakry.

My pop said, uh, said she knew about me,

she'd walk the application through.

Mrs. Bakry retired two weeks ago.

Please, I've been on so many interviews.

I just need one chance.

Your application will be processed, like everyone else.

Thank you.

Yo, what up, Ray?

You gotta get it chopped up in there

and go in there and go, "Oooh!"

Woo-woo!

Yeah.

Look! It's flying!

You know...

when we first moved in,

it was all new.

And Grandma'd always be on me,

"Get your feet off the furniture, child!"

Now look what they're doing, man.

Took Uncle Manny and me probably, like, two months to upholster that couch.

Look, if something is bothering you, just say something, man.

Don't hold it in.

'Cause I'm not a mind reader.

The spaceship's coming again!

- There you go, little man. - Come on!

Good job, champ.

I cooked that food for us to eat later!

I'm sorry.

I saw the kid was eating, so I thought it was okay.

What did you do to Mom? Huh?

This isn't prison. Here we eat at the table!

Like normal people.

- I thought it was okay. - You eat at the table!

He didn't know. Sorry, sorry. He didn't know.

Yo, Elena, can you tell your family

to please respect the furniture and turn down the TV?

You gonna let him talk to me like that?

Huh?

You think I'm letting a rapist disrespect me in my own house

- and tell me what to do? - You calling me a rapist?

- You don't know me! - Let it go!

You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!

At no time have I ever hurt a woman, man!

Never! Never!

- Pa, tell her what I said! - She understands.

Please don't provoke him. Okay? Don't provoke him.

Control your son! Control your son!

You can't do like that, man. You can't do like that.

Elena's my wife, all right? She's my wife.

If you're gonna be here, you gotta respect her 'cause this is her house.

Where was her respect?

I gotta live here, man.

I ain't got nowhere else to go. I got nothing.

I got nothing.

I'm telling you, it's gonna get easier.

Look at me, look at me, man. I'm telling you.

But you gotta work with me. You gotta do your part, baby, all right?

All right?

You do that like you really care about it.

Like you really care about getting this clean

for people you don't even know.

You're a priest with a part-time job, ain't you?

Priest, no, ma'am.

I guess I just like making dirty things shine, that's all.

Hm.

Well, I like dirty things too.

Where you from?

From here.

- Where you from? - Shreveport, Louisiana.

Welcome to Harlem.

Oh, I've been here for a while.

Though I ain't seen you around.

Maybe you ain't been looking.

Oh!

I'm looking.

Yo, you used to live in Lehman?

Uh, nah.

I know you.

- Where I know you from? - I can't help you, bro. I ain't from here.

You told me you were from Harlem.

I am, I...

just ain't wasting time talking to dudes trying to start some shit, you know?

Next, he'll be hitting me up for cash.

Negro, please. I know your jam.

You're just all about the ladies.

♪ Walking down the street ♪

♪ Watching ladies go by ♪

♪ Watching you... ♪

Whoa, where you been?

So... Man, you got a head of hair.

What kind of barber they got cutting that? Yo, where was you at?

Uh, Downstate. Harlem Valley before that. I cut hair there.

That's seems right, 'cause you was known for your hair.

Flat top, right? Lil Daddy Kane!

Yeah, I remember.

Man, I think you'll find that most folks up in the neighborhood,

they know the real story on you boys.

But south of 110th, I can't say. Down there, they is ignorant.

And we is never innocent.

But if I was you, I'd stay clear of the park.

I think you should go everywhere.

You know, live like a free man, don't box yourself in.

Yo, that's true! That's true. Haters bound to do plenty of that for you.

So, what's your next move?

By which I mean, after that booty call.

You know a man's gotta prioritize!

Oh, shit, y'all Muslim!

Oh, I'm sorry. You gotta be married first, right?

Man, he just got out yesterday.

You've got him married already?

I wanna go back to school.

- Maybe teach, I'm not sure. - Yeah? You have a state license?

How you gonna do that when you've been incarcerated?

I can't get a license?

Not in no certified occupation.

Bus driver, teacher, EMT.

No, once you've been inside, man, they got you.

And they keep you.

Right.

How you doing, Mrs. Garcia?

Elombe!

- Look who it is! - Hey, how are you?

Now, don't give me that "how are you" jive.

- Ray! - Ms. Brath!

Now, why you been ducking us?

Nah, it's not like that. I just didn't wanna bother you.

Bother us? Raymond, we're here for you. It's never a bother.

Thank you. Both of you.

I know you helped out Pops, protesting and everything. Money too.

That's what we're here for.

If you can't lean on your community in the most trying times,

then who can you lean on?

I appreciate that.

I'll see you at home, Elombe.

- You, do not be a stranger, please, Ray. - I won't.

- Thank you. - Okay.

How you holding up?

I don't know.

There's a couple of things that you should know 100 percent.

One, you got support.

The second thing is that they are counting on you going back in.

That ain't gonna be me.

They ain't gonna get me again.

Amen.

So, you got a girl?

Somebody writing you?

I still keep pictures of her.

We wrote a lot.

She wrote first to say she thought I was innocent, that she was sorry.

She thought I was cute or whatever.

When I went up for parole, it didn't go my way.

So I wrote her and said, "I'm no good for you. Don't wait."

So you broke up with her before she could break up with you.

It was more like I was going up to adult prison with that tag:

sex offender.

I didn't know if I'd make it out.

But you did.

Now what?

That's the question that you have to ask yourself.

Go get your life, man.

Take it back.

And you ain't that cute.

Hello?

Tanya, this is Ray Santana.

Oh, hey, Ray.

You know, when you... when you just stopped writing, I...

I don't know.

It hurt.

Was no way for me to reach you.

Not like I could just come by or whatever.

I don't know how to do this,

except just tell you the truth.

I shouldn't have did that to you.

I just didn't want to bring you down to where I was.

I hear what you're saying, but I...

I don't get it.

No, look, we had something good, and then you just...

I don't understand how you just cut me off like that.

Nothing all that bad ever happened to me before the park.

Before, I had hope.

After, I had none, not even about me and you.

I'm sorry.

Monday night in New York, President Clinton could laugh

about the rash of White House scandals...

Elena! This asshole has a girl in his room.

- Who do you have in there?! - What are you doing?

Who the fuck is that?

Leave us the fuck alone! This ain't even your house, lady!

Are you with a chick in the baby's room?

You are a dirty, shameless girl!

- I didn't know. I'm sorry. - You didn't know what?

No, she's my stepmother!

You are a dirty man!

Stop!

- Listen, wait! Please! - Don't fucking touch me!

I swear, I'm not lying!

- That's my stepmother! - Get off me.

Look, I'm not going back in there, okay? And I got nowhere to take you, so...

That's okay. We'll go sit somewhere. We'll go to the park!

No, I think...

Maybe we had it right the first time. This...

You know...

- We're no good. - I'm not letting you go like that.

I made that mistake already.

Imma call you tomorrow.

You gonna answer?

That'll be two dollars.

- Thank you. - Thank you, brother. Appreciate it.

How come you never take me out for chicken and waffles?

Why don't you take me out?

Let's go to Amy Ruth.

Everybody always be talking about the chicken and waffles at Amy Ruth.

That's for tourists.

Well, I am a tourist.

I wanna go.

Don't make no sense to eat in no restaurant. I gotta save for school.

You can save for school next week.

I have to save for school every week. You know what I take home.

Yeah. Three hundred dollars.

Every two weeks.

And 100 of that goes to my mother 'cause you gotta take care of the ones you love.

I keep $100 for myself,

and if I could save every one of those dollars for school, I would.

You're so selfish.

We've been talking for months.

I don't ask you to go out every week.

All you do is stay inside.

If I'd been in prison for them years, I would wanna go out.

You don't know what you would want.

I'm not spending money on stuff that don't matter.

I don't matter?

That's what you saying?

- I don't matter? - I gotta go to school, Adelle.

I gotta get my life back.

Adelle! Listen, look...

Look, we don't gotta talk to each other if I make you unhappy.

I mean, I... I get it. It's cool.

Are you trying to break up with me?

- I'm just saying... - You acting like a fucking inmate!

You fucking felon!

Oh, this how you treat girls?

It is.

I know what you do to 'em.

Like you did to that lady.

Fucking asshole!

I can't wait to take you out, you know, to somewhere other than here.

Maybe eat something.

Yeah, where you wanna go?

Yo, what up?

I got a place I want to take you.

Yo, Leonard!

Yo, Ray!

Ray, hey!

Looking for, uh, these?

Oh, look at that! The Virgin Mary looking right at you! Oh!

Keep her safe. Yo, keep it down. Don't make too much noise.

My sister just took the spot upstairs.

Thank you.

Nice!

No, that wasn't me.

Yo! Don't break it.

- Come on. - Not yet.

Now?

Hi!

Oof! You scared me.

- I wanna show you something. - Okay.

You know my cousin Drea, right? Um...

She moving out in June.

It's got, like, a little side room.

You know, and I was thinking that we could have our own... our own space together?

Oh, you mean you and me?

Yeah. Yeah.

Um, like...

I could use my teacher's assistant stipend for the security deposit and then...

all we have to do is first and last month's rent.

We could do that, right?

Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah? - Maybe.

If Siegel keeps letting me work double shifts.

Siegel said to give you this.

What's good, man?

I'm good.

Yeah, you know, I was wondering...

if y'all might be interested in taking on a new partner.

- You know what I'm saying? - Yeah.

If y'all wanna negotiate...

Kevin...

Yo!

Ohhh...

It's good to see you, man.

Me too, man.

- And you look good, man. - Look at you!

- Ohh! - Man, we allowed to sit together?

This probably the one place in the whole universe

where nobody care if we see each other. Come on now.

You look good, man.

- Yo, what happened there? - Oh, man.

Got this new PO.

For no reason, he show up telling me I gotta wear an ankle bracelet now.

That's cold.

You been able to work?

Yeah. Computer maintenance.

Monitoring systems for this telemarketing company.

What? How the hell you learn computers?

Lied.

I tell 'em I can do it.

Aisha lent me a couple, I bought some books,

just learned on the job.

- Of course you did. - Of course I did.

Yusef been lying on the job, man.

You in the back.

If you're new, I need to see your paperwork.

Get used to that look.

I never thought I'd grow up to be someone that people hated.

Hey, your mother don't hate you.

Your sisters don't hate you. You got love, man.

Them women love them some you.

True.

My mom, she just hugs me random all day.

I walk to the bathroom, come back to a hug.

- I don't mind, neither. - Yeah, you stay in that long as you can.

Don't be in no rush to go if they don't want you gone.

You still staying with your moms?

Actually, no.

I got married.

What?

Dude!

How long you known this girl? You only been out for, like, nine months?

Seven.

Her name Lakeisha.

I met her at work one day when I was coming in to get a check.

She got a management job there during the day.

Well, if you working nights and she working days,

how y'all see each other?

Oh, we make it work. We do what we gotta do, right?

Today, we have Yusef Salaam and Kevin Richardson,

two of New York's most notorious sex offenders.

- The Wilding Boys of Central Park. - This again.

To be eligible for release,

the offender must acknowledge having committed his sex offense.

Okay, Richardson, stand up. Let's start with you.

We don't talk about our case.

I didn't ask you, Salaam.

If you don't mind, ma'am, I won't say anything.

Well, in my class, that's not an option.

I don't admit to the crime. 'Cause I like to stick to the truth.

You're a convicted class three sexual predator.

See, that's the law, not the truth. Let me illuminate you...

Sit down, Salaam.

When the State of New York put us on trial,

did we accept the plea they offered us?

No. And why is that?

'Cause we didn't do the crime and we don't want to lie.

So when we never lied before,

why would we start lying now for you?

Salaam, this is, what, the fifth group you've been asked to leave?

You do what you gotta do.

You gonna make trouble too?

- Look at you. - That was choice.

Yeah, that felt good, man.

Let's hang out, man. Where's everybody? Where's Antron at?

Oh, his father passed a couple months back.

- Ah, man. - Yeah.

He moved to Baltimore as soon as his CR was up.

Changed his name, talking about getting married.

- For real? - Yeah.

- Y'all moving fast now. - We just ready to get started with life.

Too much time wasted.

Korey. Where is he?

I'm not even sure his mama know where.

But they still got him somewhere.

When we finish our CR, we gotta track him down.

Yeah.

Who else you talk to? Talk to Ray?

I don't know, man. I been hearing things. Bad things.

I got a little surprise for you.

See that?

Papi, it's my birthday!

It ain't your birthday, little man. Your birthday's in December.

It's okay.

Tanya and me got our keys.

I'll be clearing out tomorrow.

Good for you.

Maybe turn my room into Ramón's.

Nah, man.

This is how I took back my life.

- Just a boost to get started. - Ray, Ray...

You got a brain, right?

Pushing crack? Come on, you know where this is going.

It's just to get started,

get out of here, give you space,

- get my own. - Thank you, but get that out of my house.

Get it out of my house.

When everything was going on,

I couldn't really follow what was happening.

I didn't get it.

Inside, I started reading the articles,

how they wrote them against us from the first days,

all the transcripts,

the straight-up lies they told.

I watched my tape.

I don't even know who that fucking kid is.

- I don't even recognize myself. - I know, Ray.

I know, but what those people stole from you, you can't buy back.

Can't buy it back, not with money, not with hustling,

not with none of that shit.

Okay?

'Cause it's gone, it's done.

But you don't gotta be what they said you were.

Look at this guy. Look. With a TV bigger than the apartment.

Where did he get that TV?

The TV is bigger than him.

I'm going to call your PO and tell him you're dealing drugs!

We was just out.

It was a nice night.

That's all.

We was just hanging out.

They say "boys will be boys."

When they say "boys," they not talking about us.

They talking about other boys

from other places.

When did we ever get to be boys?

Down! Get down!

I can't be something I'm not.

I ain't a citizen.

They don't want me to be.

I don't even want to be.

I'm somewhere I don't know.

Half in, half out...

no matter where I go.

I'm sorry, Pop.

You ain't gotta be sorry.

Hey, look, you tried. You tried and you know what? You'll...

You'll try again.

I gotta go.

♪ 'Cause I'm all things to all men ♪

♪ All of the women, all the children ♪

♪ Just say when ♪

♪ And I'll take you to my Tardis ♪

♪ Who's the hardest? ♪

♪ Who's the hardest? ♪